Improvement in trace-fasteners



A.. B. DOWELL.

Improvement in Trace-Fasten ers. No. 114,654. Patented May 9,1871.

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ASA B. DOWELL, or VINTON, IOWA.

Letters Patent No. 114,654, dated May 9, 1871.

IM PROV EM ENT IN TRACE-FASTENERS.

The Schedule referredto in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I Asn B. DOWELL,'OfVi I1l7OI1, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented 'a new and useful Improvement in Trace-Fast-- i Figure 2 is a view of an ordinary whiflietree.

My invention consists in making the protecting 'tube surrounding-the spring which operates the sliding bar of elastic material, so that when the spring is contracted the tube is contracted also, thereby euabling me to make all the parts smaller, more compact, and at the same time of great strength.

is the trace-hook, constructed of iron or other suitable metal, and in the usual shape, with the slide oi'fwnglle b I) raised on each of the inner sides, as shown in'fig, 1. I 'B is a small bar of metal, with a. groove on each side'made to fitexactly and move on the slides b b; and by means of the spiral spring 0 c is held back,

leaving a small aperture, 1), and when hooked presses firmly against the neckof the whiflietree. E is a metal-post raised on the brace F, and serves to keep the spring 0 e in its position, together with an aperture'in the end of the bar B made to receive the end of the spring.

-Gis1a section of rubber tube, of ordinary quality,

drawnover the spring to protect and keep it clean. H is a section of trace, fastened to'the hook by the eye j in the usual manner.-

K is theneck or end of an ordinary whifiietree, and the hook is fastened to the same by pressing the bar B up against the spring untilthe opening D will receive the end of thewhifldetree, which will then, by

the action of the spring, be firmly-held by the tracehook, and can only be d unfastened by grasping the trace andwhiffletree and pressing the latter-against thespring until the opening will allow it to unfasten.

It will be readily understood that,'when the bar 13- is drawn back andthe spring 0 contracted, the pro-'- tecting-tube G contracts also, still covering the entire spring.

In trace-fastenings where a metal protecting-tube is used the latter has to be of sufiicient dimensions to allow the free play of the spring; but by my improve'-,

ment theutube need be only of the length of the spring,

and its size does not interfere with the free operationof the same. It is much cheaper than the metal tube,- and by using it the parts can all be'constructed more not diminishing their strength.

compact and small, thus reducing their weight while I do not claim, broadly, protecting a spring by covering-tube, as I am well aware that this" is old; and I am also'aware'that metal or rigid tubes have 7 been used for this purpose in trace-iastenings; nor do I claim this; but

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a trace-hook fastening, the combination of the sliding locking-block B, the'iixed cross-bar F, and the coil springc, with the inclosing covering flexible tube G, as and for the purpose described.

A. B. DOWELL.

\Vitnesses:

J. G. FAIR, J. W. HANNA. 

